The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using electrophotography such as a printer, a facsimile machine or a combined machine. Further, the present invention relates to a developer storage body for storing a developer, and a developing device having the developer storage body.
An image forming apparatus using electrophotography is configured to form an image by uniformly charging a surface of a photosensitive body, exposing the surface of the photosensitive body to form a latent image, developing the latent image using a developing device to form a developer image (i.e., a toner image), and to transfer the developer image from the photosensitive body to a printing medium. Generally, the developing device has a detachable developer storage body for supplying the developer to the developing device.
In this regard, the developer may adhere to an inner surface of the developer storage body and an opening-and-closing member provided therein. In such cases, the developer storage body cannot supply a sufficient amount of the developer to the developing device.
Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses a developer storage body having a mechanism that scrapes off the developer from the inner surface of the developer storage body and the like.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-233365 (see paragraph 0031)
However, there are still cases where the developer remains in the developer storage body. In such cases, the developer stored in the developer storage body is not sufficiently supplied to the developing device, and is therefore not effectively used.